Sakura

Rain patted at my window sill and I peeked open an eye to watch the gray landscape of Amegakure in its earliest hours through my thick window. Training would begin soon and I'd have to get up and get dressed...but the bed felt too warm and it was so cold everywhere else in my red-and-black bedroom. A few more moments wouldn't hurt…

I was never like this in Konahagakure because the weather was always so neutral and it got so stuffy in my room at times that I bolted to get the hot water for my morning shower -much to Naya's dismay. In Amegakure the cold mornings brought memories of childhood and sleeping until noon with my mother coming to brush my hair from my face and bringing me breakfast in bed.

I sharp knock echoed throughout my room and with it Sasori's agitated voice. "Sakura-hime, get up. Training begins now in the courtyard." I jolted and called my sleepy reply and slipped out of bed and onto the icy floor. "Hurry up; I hate to be kept waiting."

With that said Sasori retreated down the hall and I pocked about my bedroom with curiosity. I hadn't been here since two years ago and I was surprised to see things hadn't gotten too dusty. My bed was still a canopy with four posts and blood red blankets and pillows piled on top of the already tempting mattress –I always got my full eight hours of sleep. My desk was still orderly with papers and notebooks stacked upon a mahogany desk that resembled Pein's. Then bookshelves over-stuffed with random literature works that I thumbed through whenever I could –a chosen few had information on the Rinnegan, but not all were very accurate. Other than that the floors had black plush carpet and red walls and there was a bathroom behind the door across from my bed that also had my bureau filled with my clothes.

All that were probably too small for me now…

Something crimson lying on the ground caught my eye.

I turned and lifted a new red ninja dress left for me by my mother, as usual.

~X~

The Third Kazakage jumped and me again and I quickly dodged, but again was smacked sideways by his wooden hand and I flew, smashing into the stone wall then I dropped to the ground.

Sakura: 0

Sasori:…21

"Sakura..." Sasori said. He'd dropped the suffix 'hime' after our first training session, saying that if I was going to have a high title I'd have to earn it first. "Is this how you dodge an attack?" The Third jumped back to Sasori's side and sat down.

One thing I learned about Sasori's training methods: he really took joy in throwing around his students until they bleed…and then he teaches.

"No. I'd attack head on…that's just a puppet."

"Just a...? Sakura, this is the Third Kazakage. He has chakra; he can perform jutsu and pass any test a real ninja can. Also I can maneuver him around like a real ninja and..." Sasori twitched his thumb and two poisonous needles shot out of the Third's mouth. I jumped out of the way and stared in shock at the puppet. "Anything could be a weapon. Isn't he a work of art?" Sasori fell into a fight stand and the puppet moved with him. "Ready Sakura?" Before I could answer he launched the puppet at me again.

I fused chakra into my fist and ran forward with a battle cry. Sasori's lips twitched and his fingers moved rhythmically and the Third's arm rearranged and came apart. Then a rain of senbon needles shot out at me and I quickly maneuvered through them. Though one or two may have hit me.

I pulled my fist back and swung with all my might.

I smiled in triumph as the Third was pushed back by my blow.

Sakura: 1

Sasori: 21

A loud crack echoed throughout the room and my smile fell as I inwardly cursed the murderously-calm look on Sasori's face.

The Third had suffered damage and Sasori didn't seem too proud that I was the cause of the large crack snaking across his face. He didn't spar me so much as a glance as he looked over the crack and murmured a few things. In conclusion we had to go back to his room/workshop to repair it properly.

I watched Sasori from the chair he'd told me to sit in and, I quote, 'not touch anything if I knew what was good for me' as he rested the puppet onto his work table and began sorting through a few tools and some clay. He looked over the crack with a magnified glass for further inspection and sighed again, rather loudly.

Did he have to act so superior?

At his fixated look I took a rare chance to 'space out' and think about tomorrow: my long awaited fourteenth birthday. I, personally, knew Konan had a small present in mind for me and I was as eager as Konahmaru on his birthday for the gift of a special treat or weapon with a story behind it. I didn't expect much from the Akatsuki members, or Pein, but Sasori had pulled through with the promise of a day off -in which I was thankful.

Though our training was really going well -I improved in speed and agility thanks to many, many weapons aimed at me. The only downside was our tempters; Sasori didn't like having to wake me up or having his toys broken and I didn't like poisonous weapons shooting at me or dealing will the many bruises blossoming on my pale skin, but hey we can't all get what we want. And because of some earlier training methods I knew how to make and heal his newest poison he and I have been working on -which promised a slow, painful kill that involved the burning of internal organs. Kinda gross when you think about it too much.

"Sasori...can you tell me how to break the chakra strings? You said there was a way." Sasori raised an eyebrow, and then smiled at my recall of an early lesson.

"Well, at least you listen to what I say." I nodded and eased out of my seat over to my master, when I wasn't immediately ordered back to the chair I took it as a good sign to walk up to the work table. Sasori pulled out a scroll from one of the many shelves and rolled it open on the table for me to see.

Sasori ran his hand over the kanji characters and suddenly he was holding a two foot long sword wrapped in a black cloth tied with golden string, weighing it with his hand. "A katana? Is it some sort of special weapon?"

"Hai, this blade was used in a great battle of two shinobi; the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha. When Madara died at the hands of the First, the blade pierced his heart it absorbed his some of his chakra and as a result the Saigo –the Last Breath- can cut through any chakra force. Something that simple ninja logic says can't be broken. Your father requested I give it to you as a birthday present in his absents."

I smiled brightly and eagerly took the katana in and felt a wave of chakra crash over me so hard it made me shiver. For a moment I felt light-head then steadied myself and glanced up at Sasori, who didn't seem to notice. "Training is over for today," He said simply and waved me off without looking. "Do your sensei a favor and go find Deidara for me. I'll teach you swordsmanship after tomorrow –wouldn't want you swinging that thing around and injuring yourself."

I strapped the katana on to my belt. "Arigato, Sasori-sensei."

I quickly left the room, still feeling the unblinking glares of the various puppets hanging from the walls of Sasori's room, and down the hall of the hallway of the Rain Village Tower. On a rare occasion I ran into a servant running through the hallway looking busy or hard at work, when really there was nothing to do.

Really the civilians were all just afraid of us.

I see why they are so timid; so much death in Amegakure, things the Akatsuki has done... Saku spoke up for the first time in a while and I welcomed her voice.

Saku where were you an hour ago? I needed you for training.

Hiding, not everyone here knows of my inhabitation in your body. And its best if we keep it that way…Saigo, that blade belonged to Madara Uchiha, hmm. I wonder…

Why? And what about the sword? I asked curiously and Saku murmured a few things that sounded like 'No, it couldn't possibly' and 'I'll have to be careful' before she really answered me.

I'll tell you later, Sakura-hime. Fetch Deidara for 'Master Sasori', he's down the hall in his room, careful he's experimenting with some new explosives.

~X~

I looked around the woods. No Sasori.

I checked the sky. No Deidara.

Quickly, I sprinted through the open field and dove back into the underbrush, searching for the two Akatsuki members. Sasori came into view, not a second late, across the clearing; I masked my chakra and steadied my breathing, also trying to keep my pink hair from slipping from the bun I had been to persistent to put it in this morning so no 'loose strands of oddly colored hair' would be seen during my escape from Amegakure.

Sasori and Deidara had taken it upon themselves to 'babysit' me when my parents went to lead a small search for Itachi -on my birthday no less. Upon hearing the news I packed my smallest backpack and here I am trying to get to the village outside of Amegakure –where there was a hot spring and the Akatsuki had no power- although it was just glazing the Fire Country's border. It was risking and dangerous and I was having the time of my life.

But Deidara was not too stingy about through bombs at me when I came into view; one was specially crafted with knock-out gas.

I looked at the sky again. Sure enough, Deidara was there with his stupid, giant clay bird. I backed slowly into the shadows as Deidara scoped the forest with his eye piece; suddenly he smiled and made a gesture with his hand.

Two kunai shot towards my hiding place in the bushes from Sasori's side and rolled out of the way, grabbing a kunai from my own bag to disengage the other seven of them.

"Seriously you guys! Really? Are weapons necessary?" I got back to my feet and Deidara's arms wrapped around me from behind. I yelped and he laughed, giving Sasori enough time to catch up to us under the canopy of trees.

"Well, you threw weapons at us and a few of the bombs I'd given you. That wasn't very nice Sakura-hime, hmm." I punched his arm and he recoiled, rubbing it slightly as I seethed at him.

"I'm going to take a bath. I haven't been to a hot springs in forever." I fanned myself and continued walking through the forest. Both of them grumbled something, knowing they couldn't drag me back if they wanted to keep their heads on their shoulders –I was, after all, the boss's daughter.

Naruto

Pervy saga was at it again.

Here we were in a civilian village hot spring and he was being a Peeping Tom.

"Pervy saga, I wouldn't do that." I warned flipping through one of his novels I'd snuck from his bag when he wasn't looking. "You're gonna get caught and I'm not gonna help you this time."

Jiraiya giggled and started writing down notes. I signed and flipped to the next page, wondering where and what Sakura and Sasuke might be doing right now. They'd probably have a million new jutsu and weapon tricks to flash around while I'd return with nothing but a broader range in reading materials.

Sakura

After arriving in the peasant village I couldn't seem to whip the smile off my face. I had money and it was tourist season -because of the Chuunin Exams- and I couldn't wait to start shopping. Deidara and Sasori changed their appearances' before enter the village for extra precaution. Sasori's hair had dulled a shade and Deidara's had become shorter and darker, then they'd used a disguising jutsu to turn they're cloaks into much richer looking clothes. They'd followed me everywhere wordlessly as I chatted off and on, sometimes Deidara would laugh or smile, about random topics as I shopped.

In result I left the guys with three bags full of new clothes as I walked into the hot spring, forcing them to wait outside with the free danigo. The hot water was refreshing and steamy, and actually very cold when I stepped out of it to go back to the changing rooms and into a scarlet kimono I'd bought at a store -it seemed relatively okay to journey home in, if I stayed in the trees and prayed that it didn't rain today. Humming to myself I ran a brush through my tangled hair before pulling it into a braid.

The perfect end to a perfect day.

Then I sensed chakra; powerful and male.

I looked around wildly and then stepped back outside wondering if I'd accidentally walked into a co-ed hot spring and I'd been bathing next to naked old guys without even realizing. When I didn't see any guys my eyes wandered over to the thick wooden fence. Where I spotted a narrow, newly made, hole in the wooden wall.

And a dark eye fixed on all the girls in the water.

Without a second thought I marched over and jabbed my finger into it.

"Pervert!" I shouted all the girls in the bath screamed to and pulled their towels around them and made a mad dash for the changing rooms as I jumped to the top of the fence and balanced there for a moment to survive the two men sitting in the alley.

I swear if it's Deidara-

So you're thinking about Deidara when you bath? Hmm?

SHUT UP!

I landed on the other side of the fence and took in the sight. An old man with long white hair was holding his bruised eye as Naruto comforted him.

Wait...Naruto?

"What the hell!" I screamed. Naruto's head shot up and his face went pink...then red...then an ashy pale.

"S-sakura-chan, w-what are y-y-you doing here?" I cracked my knuckles and Naruto cringed, knowing he was more than in trouble.

"I was taking a bath! And you," I pointed an accusing finger at the perv. "Are going to die!" I leaped from the fence and started over.

"Sakura-" The old perv cut him off.

"Naruto, I'm a Frog Saga I think I can handle a little pink haired girl. What's her rank? Genin?" I growled and sucker punch the jerk in the face. He went flying, out of the alley and into the street.

I stomped over to meet him, Naruto running up beside me trying to explain a story that I wasn't listening to. Sasori and Deidara –who were still sitting outside of the hot springs, made no move towards me as I leaned down and grabbed the perv by the collar of his shirt and shook him like a rag doll, watching his head snap forwards and backwards as I did so.

"Sakura please don't kill him he's…um, my teacher." Naruto pleaded, grabbing on to one of my arms. I glared at him murderously and he smiled. "Um…are you having a good birthday?"

Tsunade

Shizune was clutching her sides laughing when she saw the pink haired girl walk into the middle of the street and shack Jiraiya. As I was in a state of shock after a few fits of laughter.

"She's strong." Shizune laughed. "Almost as much as you, Lady Tsunade."

I smirked and sipped my sake still looking out the window and watch Jiraiya go flying over the roof tops and the little blond haired boy went running after him still shouting things to the girl he called 'Sakura-chan'. The girl stood bent over and alone on the street, her fists were bright with green chakra and her pink hair falling over her shoulders.

I twisted a long blond pigtail of my own and thought back to my days of beating up Jiraiya as a Genin. I laughed out loud and stood from my chair and walked out the bar towards the girl.

"I swear next time I see them..." she huffed and let the threat go with the imagination of the bystanders that were close enough to hear.

"Hello," she turned towards me and her midnight blue eyes were glinted with silver then went back to a normal color. "How much chakra did you use to send them flying?"

She shrugged and rested her injured hand in her other, inspecting it. "Quite a lot, I guess, my chakra control is better than most, but I got a little carried away. Naruto usually doesn't require any chakra to push around, I do this every week, but that pervert broke my hand." Green chakra blazed around her fist and the bone fell back in place. She hissed and clutched her hand before shaking it and flexing it a few times.

"If you don't mind me asking: what did he do?"

"He was spying on the girls in the hot springs." She growled. I was about to make a comment, but someone cut me off.

"Sakura-hime," a young male with red hair walked up to her, he gave me a once over and then returned his attention back to the girl. Sakura tensed and looked ready to yell, but he was quick to cut her off. "You can punch people to a bloody pulp at the Chuunin exams. But for now, we have to get back home; Leader-sama knows you're not there and he'll have you scratched out of the exams if you do not return home, immediately." The boy said calmly.

Sakura's face went cherry red -the man known as 'Leader-sama' must be her father and, by the looks of it, they didn't get along well. "It was nice meeting you..." she looked at me puzzled.

"Tsunade," She nodded and walked with the boy back towards the hot springs to gather her belongings.

Shizune walked up behind me. "Lady Tsunade?"

"Shizune, I think we should attend the Chuunin exams this year."

Sakura

Shortly after we arrived back in the Rain Village I was brought back to the Tower and told to stay in my room until my father was done chewing Deidara and Sasori out for not being able to contain a fourteen-year-old girl inside the village gates for a few hours. Then when they came back to my room, I was told I was going to be given chakra piercings.

Someone, who will remain nameless –Sasori-, told my parents that my eyes looked a little silver today when I was fighting the old perv apparently named Jiraiya -how many Frog Saga's can there be? Seriously? Then my dad said I must have also inherited his Rinngan, much to his stoic-shock, and I needed more chakra to fully obtain it. The black studs of metal my parent's wore were supposed to increase your chakra levels to the point where you can do any type of jutsu without being detected.

Konan pulled my hair away from my ears and tied it back in a loose bun. The gesture usually comforted me was nerve racking.

"Nervous?" She laughed. I nodded and she gave my hair a yank. "Don't move or they'll come in lopsided. This originally was your present, but I was going to have normal earrings set, though I guess now were killing two bird's one stone with the chakra ones, ne?" I gave a shy glance at the needle my father was running under a flam, trying to disinfect it before he drove it though my ear. "Don't worry; it's just a stud." My gazed up at her lip piercing.

"Does Sakura-hime want to hold Tobi's hand?" Tobi asked and I reached out a grabbed his gloved hand, squeezing it so hard I thought it might break with my super-human strength. I heard him grunt and chuckle at this.

The needle pierced my earlobes at the same time and then the pain was gone.

"Was that so bad?" Pein chuckled, lightly, and I wrenched my eyes opened to be greeted the same pale me with pink hair, blue eyes, full lips, heart shaped face, a thin scar on the right cheek and a black stud in each ear.

I letting go of Tobi's hand and tucked my bangs behind my ears to get a better look in the small mirror Konan held out for me. I turned my head every which way and tapped the shiny black metal repeatedly. "Possibly the first of many..." Pein ran his hand along his seven piercings on his left ear, then the bar going through it. "Maybe a lip piercing next time?" He emphasizes his snake bites and I recoil as they all laugh.

Yes, I'm kinda sorta late with this update. But its 11:28...11:29 and I had to logon to my computer so I could update and my mom told me "Bree, off. Now." 'Enough said the woman's my mother and it's better to show her respect than fight because were both silver tongued and not afraid...only I hate to complain. But at the end of the day, technically, I love her to death and we are like twins.

So anyway, after updating this chapter for the ump-tenth time its finally ready and I will answer questions in my next A/N so I'm sorry for those who asked them, but its late and I'm going to listen to my iPod and work on my other Pein/Saku story (small amount of info on the top of my profile) and catch some Z's.

RE~ How out was I last night? Kami! Anyway I fixed the mistakes.

Please reveiw,

~QueenVamp